Get out a bowl. Add the water and the yeast to the bowl, allow to soften. In another bowl add the milk, sugar, salt, extract, and shortening to the bowl, mix and set aside for at least 10 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups flour, and the baking powder, mix well. Add the yeast and egg, to the bowl mix well. Add the remaining flour and fold in until everything is combined and the dough is soft. Turn the dough out on a floured surface. Knead until the dough is smooth. Get out a large glass bowl and lightly grease the bowl, put the dough into the greased bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and set aside until the dough doubled in size. This steps should take approximately 90 minutes. With your fist punch the dough down, let the dough rise again. This step should take 60 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough to 1/3-inch thickness. Cut the dough into 2-inch squares, set aside. Allow the squares to rest for another 30-minutes. Get out the Dutch oven, add a couple of inches of oil, heat the oil to 375 degrees, when the oil is hot add the dough squares and fry to golden brown and crisp on all sides. Remove from the oil, drain on a paper towel. With your pointer finger punch a hole in the side of half the beignets. In the beignets with a hole add raspberry seedless preserves, lightly dust all the beignets with powdered sugar.

"If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten. The quality of your life is the quality of your relationships. It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped." -Anthony Robbins

This blog is all about roaming the Bicol Region, Philippines wisely on a budget. We'll talk about what Bicol has to offer when it comes to great hotel deals, good food and where to go on your vacation. So, I hope this blog site will be helpful to those of you on the look out for great deals while you have fun in Bicol. Also, I will be sharing what my life here is like and some of the things that I find interesting in my side of the world.